Theme/symbol analysis:
One of the major themes that is conveyed throughout James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, is Stephen’s deep longing for freedom. Stephen feels as though he is oppressed both religiously and with his nationality and it becomes obvious that he is anxious to free himself through symbolism in the book. The theme of desire for freedom is best displayed in its connection to the symbol, which is birds and flight, and Stephen alludes to this many times in Joyce’s work. The fact that Stephen has an acute awareness of birds in the sky and shares his thoughts on the topic of flight, only confirms that they represent his desperate want for freedom.
Stephen’s last name Dedalus’s “seemed to him a prophecy” (p 183), and validates the theme of flight carried continuously in the novel because his last name is a symbol which comes from the Greek myth character Daedalus, who built a pair of wings made of feathers and wax in order to escape from prison. As the Greek mythology goes, Daedalus was sent to work for King Minos after committing a crime and there he was oppressed, forced to do work he had no desire to do, and he was eventually imprisoned by the King for revealing information. Daedalus’s story is symbolic to Stephen’s because both men constantly feel they are forced and compelled to do what others tell and want them to do. As one quote states, “prophecies and symbols, a hawk-like man flying sunward above the sea, a prophecy of the end he had been born to serve and had been following through the mists of childhood and boyhood” (183). Just as Daedalus was forced to work for King Minos and do as he said, Stephen’s family constantly put pressure on him to meet religious, social, and political standards. In a sense, Daedalus’s story runs parallel to Stephen’s because Daedalus is literally imprisoned while Stephen feels imprisoned by lacking of inner strength, self-worth, and has child like emotions concerning his obligations to his faith and family. In the end of these two men’s stories, they both find the means to escape. Coincidently, Daedalus turns to escape by literally flying away and Stephen’s inspiration is found through the freedom of birds and flight, which are both the light at the end of the tunnel that finally sets Stephen free.
Another example that illustrates how birds and flight are symbolic to Stephen’s life and yearning for freedom is when he notices a bird in the sky and the author writes, “His heart trembled in an ecstasy of fear and his soul was in flight. His throat ached with a desire to cry aloud, the cry of a hawk or eagle on high…An instant of wild flight had delivered him” (183-184). This specific passage is symbolic to Stephen because it illustrates him finding his soul and finally coming to complete realization of his life, which in connection allows Stephen to be “free” at last. The sight of the bird in the sky reminded Stephen that he has control over his own life, that it is acceptable to be the man he wants be, and that he can finally be at peace with himself and seek the freedom he had desperately been in search of.
Quote analysis:
One of my personal favorite quotes is “You made me confess the fears that I have. But I will tell you also what I do not fear. I do not fear to be alone or to be spurned for another or to leave whatever I have to leave. And I am not afraid to make a mistake, even a great mistake, a lifelong mistake and perhaps as long as eternity too” (269). This quotes represents Stephen at the most balanced part of his life, and him finally coming to acceptance. During the course of the novel, Stephen had struggled with himself on many different levels concerning his religion, women, social life, and his actions. He was incredibly hard on himself in the majority of the book and he felt everything he did was a sin, but this quote is the pinnacle in his life where he finally realized that it is acceptable to make mistakes and that instead of beating himself over those mistakes, take them for what they are and learn from them. As part of the quotes states, “you made me confess the fears that I have”, and this demonstrates how in the greater part of the book he would only concern himself with what he feared. These fears consisted of being alone and not being accepted by others, but this quotes also illustrates him not being afraid anymore “to be alone or to be spurned for another.” Overall, this quotation is a perfect explanation and illustration of Stephen’s personal discovery and the balance he finally finds in his life; that it is suitable to make mistakes, follow his own heart, and allowing himself to find comfort in being alone in a positive fashion.
Thoughts/reflection:
My reaction to James Joyce’s novel A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man was that it was more complex and a difficult style of reading that I have ever experienced before in my life. James Joyce forced me, as the reader, to bush beyond the boundaries of the book and look deeper into the words written on the pages. Joyce’s character Stephen seemed so out of the ordinary at a first glance but as the book progressed, I realized that what appeared to be strange about Stephen was in fact normal. He was simply a common boy who went through the same struggles with himself that the majority of people go through as well. My overall reflection on this book was that I surprisingly enjoyed it despite the struggles that I had trying to interpret the meaning behind the text. After a closer analysis of Stephen’s character, I was able to understand him, and then in response I was able to better comprehend and appreciate the work as a whole.
